Such a device may be used as an anti-theft device for items sold in stores and other points of sale, which comprises or is associated with a remote alarm triggering system.
That removable attachment device may, in another area, form a device bearing information via an electronic tag in order, for example but not exclusively, to allow the traceability of items in a manufacturing plant, where the device particularly comprises RFID technology.
The attachment device of the invention can carry out anti-theft unctions as well as the function of an electronic information medium.
The invention is more particularly described in respect of, without limitation, anti-theft devices that can be attached to objects with a longitudinal dimension that is far greater than the other two transverse dimensions by bringing two parts closer and a gripping or clamping effect. Such objects may for example include eyeglass temples, jewelry items such as necklaces, chokers, bracelets or elongated tools.
Users are looking for such anti-theft devices that are not only easily installed and removed, but also can be locked reliably on objects without allowing unintentional or prohibited removal, and additionally do so without spoiling, marking or damaging the object.
Many known anti-theft devices designed for such objects do not simultaneously fulfil all these conditions.
In particular, the reliable locking and/or holding on the object prevails over the concern for not affecting the object in any way.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,358 describes an anti-theft device for eyeglasses, comprising a body on which a component in the shape of an upside-down U comprising a central ring in elastomer material in which one of the temples of the glasses is inserted can be fixed securely.
This known device addresses the problem of the integrity of the gripped and clamped temple very incompletely and imperfectly. That is because the temple is only gripped effectively if significant force or pressure is applied to the U-shaped element to attach it to the body. Thus, the respective actions of firstly gripping or clamping the eyeglass temple, and secondly fastening the U-shaped element on the body, are related and carried out at the same time by same said element. That is a drawback, because it is not possible to adjust or adapt the gripping force to the shape or type of the object.
Today, the pressure applied to hold the object so as to withstand the risk of longitudinal tearing from the body of the object unfortunately leads to marks or scratches on the object.
Besides, WO9623123 discloses an anti-theft device for eyeglasses comprising a body on which a flap is mounted pivotably, wherein the body and the flap each comprise a substantially flat surface and wherein the flap can rotate in relation to the body between a first extreme open position and a second extreme position known as the closed position, where the two respective surfaces can grip the object, but which does not have a surface for gripping the body and/or flap with raised or protruding means that allow elastic deformation.
The patent application WO2007129189 mentions an anti-theft device with, on the internal sides of the device, deformable material with the shape of a rectangular block where the length (larger side) extends along the longitudinal direction of the object to protect, and an electronic theft detection system (70). This known device is of the single use type.
The patent application WO2008068725 describes an anti-theft device for eyeglasses comprising a flap and a body, and two surfaces capable of gripping an object, wherein one is padded, and the use of indentations (26) made on a tab of the flap and a notch placed in a slot associated with the body, as the locking system of the device.
Further, the patent EP0396850 discloses an anti-theft device for eyeglasses comprising a body on which a flap is mounted pivotably, wherein the body and the flap each comprise a substantially flat surface and wherein the flap can rotate in relation to the body between a first extreme open position and a second extreme position known as the closed position, in which the two respective surfaces can grip the object. However, the internal rectangular gripping surfaces are elastically deformable and are flat, with no raised shapes.